Singer-songwriter Mattie Pruitt chatted about her “American Idol” experience and her new single “Hit the Road,” where she worked with Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews.
‘American Idol’ experience’
On competing in “American Idol,” she shared, “It was very surreal, honestly. It was a great, once-in-a-lifetime experience, as well as a competition.”
‘Hit the Road’ single
The song was inspired by the melody of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” and it captures her growing confidence as both a storyteller and songwriter.
She collaborated on this single with multi-platinum Grammy-nominated songwriters and producers Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews.
“We wrote the song back in July,” she admitted. “I hadn’t written too much in the studio prior to that, so it was one of the first few writers I had ever done.
“I want my music to feel honest,” she said. “It’s a more uptempo kind of a song and we added some beats and then we started singing some melodies.”
“We realized that the melody sounded like ‘Tiny Dancer’ by Elton John, so it came after we had the interpolation part, and then, we all knew it was a hit the room,” she elaborated.
“Everything I do musically comes from a real special place,” she added.
Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews
On working with Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews, Pruitt said, “It’s amazing working with Jenna! She is like an older sister to me. I can just connect with her so much. She understands me in ways that a lot of other people do not, and she is just very relatable.”
“Each time I get to write with Jenna, it’s incredible,” she admitted. “Her personality is amazing and she is a good person.”
“Stephen is great too… he is a really funny guy, and he always makes me super happy and laugh in a room,” she said. “Whenever I get nervous, he reassures me and he is a great writer as well.”
“They are both so amazing, and it just blows my mind that I get to work with them,” she added.
Collaborating with Simon Cowell’s boy band December 10
Most recently, she collaborated with Simon Cowell’s new boy band December 10. “It was really cool because they are all so funny, quirky and out of the box,” she said. “They are just fun people to be around.”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology and social media are so prevalent, she said, “I do think it makes things a little bit harder because social media can make you feel a certain way where you compare yourself and things.”
“Also, I enjoy it a lot because you post your songs and get to share your story with the whole world, and it’s an easier way to communicate with the world,” she noted. “Overall, I like the digital age.”
Plans for the future
On her future plans, she remarked, “Hopefully, this new single will be really well. I want to get in the studio more, and I would like to start touring.”
Dream duet choice
Pruitt listed Teddy Swims as her dream duet choice in music. “I just love the emotion and soul that he pours in to his songs,” she said. “If I were to collaborate with somebody in the future it would be a guy because I feel that male and female voices blend very well together.”
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she revealed, “Mattie’s New Beginnings.” “This is just chapter one for me,” she said. “There are so many more chapters coming up in my life.”
Success
Regarding her definition of success, she said, “Just making sure everybody around me is happy and feels like they matter; that is the biggest thing.”
“I just want the people close to me (my family, friends, and fans) to feel good. I would love to have hits and be successful with music, and just meet new people and tour,” she elaborated.
Message for her fans
For her fans, she expressed, “Thank you for all the support. I love them so much and I wish I could just meet them all, give them hugs and take photos with them. They are all important to me and I want them to feel like they matter.”
Closing thoughts on the new single ‘Hit the Road’
Pruitt stated, “I want the fans to feel like they don’t have to wait on somebody to change their minds.”
“They should find somebody who picks them automatically and chooses them so that they know they are worth it,” she concluded.
“Hit the Road” is available for pre-order by clicking here.
To learn more about singer-songwriter Mattie Pruitt, follow her on Instagram.
